ANGEL 61 Beginning
by bookworm26
Summary: Another Virtual Season! Takes place straight after Not Fade Away. Enjoy!
1. Default Chapter

**Disclaimer: I really don't own anything. This all comes from the mind of a genius…and that's not me. **

**Authors Note: Read this before reading the story, as it will explain the fine details. Here's another virtual season 6 everybody!**

**I have basically started off where season 5 ended and elaborating on what Joss said would of happened in Season 6, (Fred being channelled through Illyria etc) and adding my own spin to it. **

**Few simple facts before we get into it:**

**-Wesley didn't die**

**-Gunn did not get badly injured**

**-This season will be post- apocalyptic**

**-They will be back in the Hyperion due to the fact that they all murdered the demons with the help on Buffy and 'Key Sunnydale alum'. (In the words of Andrew…)**

**So please read and enjoy my try at some closure… **

ANGEL 6-1 

"**Lets go the work." Angel stated, raising his sword in preparation for the thousands of demons trampling towards them.**

**Spike, Illyria, Gunn and Wesley all ran forward, advancing their swords, clashing against the demons many weapons.**

**And so they fought. Angel in the lead, Spike not far behind. Wesley and Gunn were putting their self-taught sword fighting to good use; killing the demons that came towards them. Illyria was administering powerful blows to each creature in her line of fire, killing them instantly.**

"**You guys good?" Angel yelled over the roars, checking up on his remaining group members.**

"**Oh yeah – just –' Spike snapped the neck of a particularly large demon, '- peachy! '**

"**Angel! I don't know how long I can keep this up!" Wesley yelled, his sword connecting with a demons axe.**

"**Need any help with that?"**

**Angel spun around and saw Buffy, surrounded by hundreds of Slayers, behind which was a truck containing Willow, Xander and Dawn.**

"**Go!" Buffy ordered, as all the slayers rushed forward to help fight the many demons. Angel turned back around just as a Boretz demon was advancing his broadsword, ready to attack. Angel kicked it down, overcome by a particularly forceful bout of relief.**

**One by one the demons were killed, the ground a bloody mass of evil.**

**Then suddenly, as Angel was about to stab the Boretz, they all disappeared. Just teleported, as if being ordered away by the Senior Partners. **

"**What the-' said Angel, spinning around to see if the others had seen them all disappear. Everyone behind them was frozen in action mode, apparently stunned, confused, as all the demons corpses had also disappeared from the ground.**

**Beginning **

**I know this chapter is short but I wanted a quick intro to establish everything.**

**Please R&R!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I really don't own anything. This all comes from the mind of a genius…and that's not me. **

**Authors Note- Hey! Sorry for taking so long to update but this chapter was really hard for me to write and my computer crashed so I couldn't update! But thanks for the awesome reviews guys! I'm gonna continue right where the last chapter finished with the gang extremely confused…**

**Answer to a reviewer's question- Sara, I honestly don't know who I'm going to put together yet. Buffy and the gang wont be around long, maybe an episode or two, but there will be some moments before she leaves. But don't worry; you'll be seeing more Sunnydale people throughout the season. I am a fan of both Angel/Buffy and Spike/Buffy so you might see a little bit of both…oh, don't we all just love a petty Angel? ;)**

"Yo, what the hell is going on?" Gunn asked, utterly gob smacked at the fact that there was no demon in front of him to decapitate.

The alley that was full of swarming demons no less than 5 minutes ago, now only contained the members of Angel and Buffy's 'teams'. Everyone was looking around, utterly confused.

"Ok, well that was weird." Willow said, jumping out of the truck, and helping Dawn out.

"I don't think weird sums it up." Wesley replied, walking around the many girls, staring at the now empty space.

Buffy walked around to where Angel was standing and stood beside him. "You ok?" She asked, looking him in the eye.

Angel didn't reply, but stood still, staring around, almost transfixed at the event that just happened.

Buffy turned around to look at Willow, but instead was faced by Spike. "Buffy…"He said, smiling slightly.

Buffy stared at him, overcome with an extreme amount of anger and joy. "Spike…don't." She said, walking around him.

"What…aren't you even a little bit shocked to see me?" He replied, turning to face her. "Andrew told me." Buffy said. "Bloody little nerd." Spike grumbled under his voice, "Wait, can't we at least talk?"

Buffy spun around, "It's not the time, Spike." She replied, walking over to Dawn.

"Um, I know everyone is still reeling from what just happened, but is there any place we can go? You know, to regroup or something?" Xander asked, following Willow over to where Wesley was standing.

"Yeah. Um, the Hyperion is just north of here." Angel said, although he still seemed out of it.

Buffy nodded, and instructed the Slayers to go to a hide out. "I'll figure a way to let you know when we are taking off." She said, as the Slayers all walked off into the distance, leaving only Buffy, Angel and their respective teams.

The Hyperion was dark. It hadn't been used in nearly a year, but still looked in good condition. Angel opened the doors, as everyone followed him in. Switching on the lights, the entire lobby lit up, causing Wesley and Gunn to wince. Spike and Illyria stood in front of the pouf, which Gunn was now sitting on.

Staring around the place he had once called home, Angel noticed how musty it smelled.

Wesley walked into the office, walking around the desk, looking around the room, which was once his.

Out in the lobby, Willow walked over to the counter turning around to face Buffy. "So, know what we are gonna do now?"

Buffy shook her head, staring at Angel who placed his sword on the couch and walked into his office.

"He's taking it pretty badly." Willow said, looking at the now closed door. "I'm gonna go talk to him." Buffy said, opening the door and walking in, closing it behind her.

Willow sighed, looking at Xander, who was seated next to Dawn on the pouf. Wesley walked back into the lobby, bypassing Spike and Illyria and looking at Willow.

"Where's Fr-" Willow began, as her eyes settled on Illyria, "My god." Illyria eyed Willow, cocking her head to the side.

"What-?" Willow asked. "Fred died." Wesley said, looking down at his feet. "When?" Willow asked, standing up.

"About 3 months ago. She became infected by an old one, Illyria took over her body." Gunn answered softly, looking at Wesley.

Wesley sat down at the counter and began looking through a book he had found in his office, not making eye contact with anybody. Xander and Dawn looked at everyone, confused, not knowing what they were talking about.

Footsteps were heard from outside when the Hyperion door opened and Giles entered, looking flustered and worried. "I got here as soon as I could…" He said, stopping seeing the group sitting around rather casually. "'The' apocalypse starts and you are all sitting around?" Giles said, placing his bag on the ground.

"You missed it." Xander stated, looking at Giles with a lopsided grin that made him look quite silly.

"I missed the apocalypse?" Giles asked, looking at Willow. Willow shrugged, and nodded.

Giles looked around the room and his eyes landed on Wesley, sitting at the counter. "Wesley." Giles said quite stiffly.

Wesley chose not to reply, the memory of Giles refusing to help save Fred strong in his mind.

"I don't underst- bloody hell, what in God's name is that?" Giles asked, his eyes on Illyria.

Wesley eyed him, "That's an old one looking like my dead girlfriend. You know, the one you wouldn't tell Willow to help us save." He walked into the office, not looking back.

Willow stood up, "You did what?" Giles looked shocked to say the least and looked at Willow. "Well, I thought they had crossed sides, they weren't fighting for good…you were on another plane…-"

"Did you know Fred?"

"Well…not real-" Giles began as Willow interrupted him. "Then you can't judge them. They're good people Giles." She said, walking around the counter and over to Wesley.

"Are you ok?" She asked, sitting down in front of him. Wesley looked up, "As good as I ever am these days." He replied.

"I'm so sorry." Willow said. "What, for Giles? He didn't tell you?" He asked. Willow shook her head. "It must hurt like hell, seeing her like that everyday."

"You have no idea." Wesley replied, looking down. "I'm sorry I couldn't help. Maybe there is something-" She began.

Wesley shook his head; "We've tried everything known to man to bring her back. Her soul was destroyed resurrecting Illyria. She's gone." He said softly.

Buffy sat down in the chair in front of Angel's desk. He didn't look up.

"You finished brooding yet?" She asked, crossing her arms.

"Where do you come off?" Angel asked quietly, a hint of anger in his voice. "Excuse me?" Buffy replied.

"Don't think you know me. You don't. Not anymore." He said.

"Apparently not." Buffy said, sitting up straighter in her chair. "And you know what? Where do you come off? This little isolation moment is not just about what happened earlier." Buffy said, getting angry.

"You have no idea what its been like. You don't trust me, remember?" Angel replied, anger heating his voice.

"No, I don't know what its been like. And from what I've heard, you really haven't been trusted by anyone lately!" She said.

"How do you know that?"

Buffy looked awkward. "I have people."

Angel sat up, "You've been spying on me?" He asked, incredulously.

"Oh come on. Don't act all innocent. Andrew told me about you and Spike running all over Italy. You were spying on me too!" Buffy replied, sounding as if she was very pleased with herself for coming up with such a good comeback.

"Yes, but I had good reason too! Your dating the Immortal, remember. I should be the one who shouldn't be trusting you." Angel answered. "Was dating the Immortal. And why do you care anyway? Your with the werewolf girl, aren't you?" Buffy replied.

Angel stared at her in shock, "You are unbelievable."

Buffy rolled her eyes, "Is this all we are going to do? Sit here forever and have a go at each other about our love lives?"

"No." Angel said stubbornly. "You are hopeless. You're acting like a five year old. Ok, the situation is a little weird, but you should be happy the world hasn't ended." Buffy replied. "I was prepared for it to. I was ready to kill whatever the Senior Partners threw in my direction. Now, I don't know what to think." Angel said softly.

"Well, lets just forget about it, and go and figure out why the world isn't ending. Because at the moment I think that is a little more important that us arguing over stupid little things." Buffy replied, standing up and walking out the office door, leaving Angel staring at the empty chair.

**Note: I was having so much trouble writing that chapter, and then my computer crashed so I had to wait until our new one arrived. I hope my writer's block didn't come out in the writing hehehe. But now I'm back on track so I should be finished this episode in the next week or two. Then comes the episode I was most excited about writing. Actually the second episode was the basis for me wanting to write this virtual season. I'm just gonna stop rambling long enough for you to REVIEW! ;)**


	3. Chapter 3

Beginning

Chapter 3.

Disclaimer: I own nothing! Even the storyline isn't the most original…. hehehe.

Note: Hey guys! I'm finally back! Today was the last day of school for the term so you know what that means! MORE UPDATES! I'm now finally back on track so I'll be updating more frequently…enjoy!

Buffy walked out of the office and into the lobby full of people. Her eyes settled on the man who was standing next to Xander.

"Giles!" Buffy said, walking over to where Giles stood. When neither he, nor anybody else replied, she looked around at the suddenly quite room.

"What happened?" Buffy asked.

"Willow and Wesley seem to be on the verge of starting a 'Giles is a stuffy British guy' club. And I don't even understand what is going on." Xander replied. Buffy looked confused as Dawn spoke up, "Uh, Spike, who was Fred?"

Spike looked at Buffy, who was staring at him with an impassive look on her face before speaking. "One of the contenders of Angel Inc. Fred was…" Spike stopped and looked at the ground. "I don't even know how to explain her." Spike said finally.

Buffy glanced at Giles, who looked abashed. "She died?" Buffy asked softly, looking back at Spike. "Fred got sick a couple of days after Wesley and her finally got together. A sarcophagus containing an old one was…uh…. released into Wolfram and Hart and took over her body. Hence Illyria." Gunn spoke up, gesturing towards the old one who was staring at everyone with cautious eyes. Everyone looked at her when Buffy spoke, "You can't kill her?" Buffy asked coldly.

"They couldn't if they tried!" Illyria snapped, turning and storming out the door. "Wes couldn't. She looked too much like…" Gunn drifted off, looking at the now closed door. Silence echoed through the hotel; no one knew what to say.

Spike was the first to break the silence. "So, uh, any clue on what happened to apocalypse now?"

Buffy shook her head, forcing herself to turn her head around to Giles.

Giles took off his glasses and cleaned them. "Well, you could start with what happened." "I don't know. One minute it was mass of demons, the next…poof." Buffy replied.

"Poof?" Giles asked, looking bewildered. "It was more of a pop than a poof." Xander spoke up.

Giles put his glasses back on. "Thank you Xander, that cleared it up greatly." He picked up his bag and placed it onto the counter when Wesley and Willow walked back into the lobby.

"This is all I've got left." Wesley said, placing no more than 6 books on the counter. "The rest of my collection is at Wolfram and Hart. I didn't think I'd need them anymore…" He said, sitting on the chair. When no one replied, Wesley turned around and looked around the room.

"Uh – Where's Illyria?" Wesley asked. "Blue got all snarky when Buffy asked why we didn't kill her. She stormed out in her usual fashion." Spike said, walking to where Wesley put all his remaining books.

Willow pulled Buffy aside. "How's Angel?"

Buffy sighed. "Seriously freaked. But not in the normal way of being freaked, in the broody sort of way which is Angel's known characteristic. Emotions really are void in that man." Buffy finished roughly. Willow raised her eyebrows. "Sorry." Buffy said, "We had words. Not so pleasant."

Just as Buffy finished, the office door creaked open and Angel walked out, looking extremely reluctant.

"Have we got anything?" Angel asked, still looking slightly sulky. Buffy rolled her eyes. "Uh- well, we don't have much to go on." Wesley replied, flipping through a rather old compendium. Angel looked up and saw Giles. "Giles." He said, in the same manner Wesley had greeted him with. Angel also did not forget what little help Giles offered in bringing back Fred. "Angel." Giles nodded, adjusting his glasses. He still looked a little shaken up from Wesley and Willows previous fiery comments.

"Now that we've got that sorted," Buffy began, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms, "What's going on Giles? I'm pretty sure this is the only apocalypse which hasn't ended…apocalypsy." "I'd have to check with some sources but as far as I'm aware this is the only apocalypse in which that has happened. Normally an apocalypse…-" Giles was saying when Wesley muttered,

"An apocalypse."

Everyone turned to face Wesley. "What?" Angel asked. Wesley looked up. "Don't you remember what Lindsey said? This wasn't just an ordinary apocalypse; it was 'the' apocalypse. But it didn't exactly go to plan. We decided to take down the black thorn before they were fully prepared. Therefore we altered the system."

"Ok- Freeze. The black thorn, who are they?" Buffy asked, looking utterly confused. "The black thorn is a society which controls the senior partners doings on earth. They basically run the apocalypses." Wesley said, walking over to the few books Giles had brought. "How come we didn't know about them?" Xander asked. "We didn't either until Angel got himself in." Gunn replied. Everyone's eyes immediately landed on Angel.

"I'm not evil." Angel said. Buffy eyed him beadily. "I'm not!" Angel replied to the glare. 'He did it so he could know what was going down. An inside scoop. Now he's the only living member." Gunn said. "Ok, so you guys go all terminator on the senior partners puppets, murder them all and then the senior partners reign hell on earth in a mass of horrible vengeance?" Willow asked. "That's the general gist of it. But with more complicated plot twists and less mention of pop culture but – wait, you didn't know why you came to fight?" Wesley asked Willow.

"I got a phone call from the coven in England and they told me there was a major battle-a-brewing. Didn't get the cliff notes." Willow replied shrugging.

"So all these apocalypses we've been fighting have only been preparing us for the ultimate?" Buffy asked. Wesley nodded. "Then how come all the demons vanished? Didn't seem real ultimate to me?" Buffy replied. "Still working on it." Dawn spoke up from the table where she was reading one of Wesley's books.

Giles, who had remained quite through all of this, finally spoke up. "So now that the Black thorn is destroyed, who controls the doings on our plane?" Everyone looked at Wesley, "Honestly," He began, "There's no telling what's going to happen next."

Everyone was silent for quite a long period of time before Giles spoke. "I suggest that we all see if we can figure out what happened. All of us shouldn't be cooped up in the hotel, with so few books. Xander, Dawn, you stay here with Wesley and see if you can decipher anything from the texts. Willow, call the coven and see if they know of anything. Buffy, Spike, work the streets, see if you can see any unnatural behaviour-"

"And I'll go to Wolfram and Hart." Angel said.

"Angel, are you sure that's a good idea? You don't know whose there, or how stable the building is." Wesley asked, looking up.

"I'll be fine." He replied walking out the door and letting it close behind him.

Willow looked at Buffy, "He really likes a grand exit doesn't he?"

I hope you liked this chapter. I wrote it all during Religion funnily enough…

Anyways, Next up we see a bit of Buffy and Spike, Wesley and Giles have a conversation and there is an appearance by our favourite geek… REVIEW PLEASE!


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer- None of this belongs to me. Well…nothing except the special surprise at the end of the chapter…

Note- Yay this is finished! It's probably a little rush job but I promise the next episode will be better. The next episode was the basis for me writing this season! Enjoy…

Beginning

Chapter 4

Buffy and Spike spent most of the walk to the backstreets of L.A in silence. Neither really knew what to say to each other. Finally, after walking near the docking area, Spike broke the silence. "So, how have you been?"

Buffy stared at him and smirked, "How have I been? That's the best opening line you can come up with?" Spike groaned, "What do you want me to say?"

"How about an explanation. Why didn't you tell me you were alive?" Buffy asked. "Well, that was due to a slight case of being a ghost unable to leave Wolfram and Hart." Spike replied sarcastically. "Oh, so a phone call when you became corporeal was such a difficult thing to do?" Buffy replied, sticking a stake in her belt violently.

"I was going to go see you. I even had a boat ticket, but…" Spike drifted off. "But what?" Buffy asked.

Spike hung his head. "You can't make a grand exit like that and come back 3 weeks later and pretend everything's back to normal."

Buffy shook her head. "You are just as bad as Angel."

"Don't compare me to him!" Spike said angrily. Buffy looked at him. "So what. I had to hear from Andrew of all people, that you were alive and to top things off, were storming around Italy with Angel trying to break me and the immortal up?"

Spike looked at her, "Speaking of which, where is Andrew?"

"Ciao, friends!"

Xander and Dawn looked up to see Andrew at the door, in a full grey suit. "Oh, joy." Xander said sarcastically. "Give the guy a break. It's funny watching him trying to be like Giles." Dawn said, whacking Xander's arm.

"So, whatsup? What new and mysterious evil is stalking the streets of L.A?" Andrew asked Xander and Dawn, dumping his bags on the floor and walking over to where they were sitting. "Apocalypse came, Apocalypse went and now we research." Xander replied, not looking up from his book. Andrew looked confused as Giles and Wesley walked into the lobby from the office.

"Mr Giles! Xander was just filling me in." Andrew said to Giles.

Giles looked up, "Ah, Andrew. You can help Xander and Dawn with the research."

Andrew nodded and sat next to Xander.

"So where's the rest of the ol' gang?" Andrew asked, grabbing a book. "Ok, first off, Angel and Spike were never nor will be part of the 'gang', they just hung around cause they both had the hots for Buff, and Secondly, we will not be talking about that because we are in research mode." Xander said impatiently. "Got it brother, but what exactly am I researching for?" Andrew replied.

Xander placed the book on the table as Wesley And Giles walked back into the lobby. "As much as I hate to admit it, he's right Giles. What exactly are we looking for? If nothing like this has happened before, it wouldn't be recorded." Xander said, standing up.

"I agree with him. I've spent the last 2 hours looking through these books and there is nothing relevant to what happened or to the situation." Dawn said, looking up.

"I know, but there's got to be an explanation for this." Giles said, placing the books on the table. "Yes there is, but sitting around here with books about…" Xander looked at the cover of the book in front of him, "'Demons from South America', isn't doing us much good."

Giles sighed. He knew Xander was right. They were getting nowhere sitting here with books about foreign demons.

"Yes, well hopefully Angel has gotten somewhere at Wolfram and Hart." Wesley said, sitting down at the counter.

Angel stood, staring at the building he had once called his own. It looked quite stable, a few smashed windows in the lobby, but nothing too drastic. He walked into the lobby and assessed the damage. The pillars had smashed into the floor, the sign falling off its hinges. The place was dark. No one was around and as Angel looked to the floor he noticed something that made him unnerved. The spot in which Hamilton had landed, dead, now only contained some debris from the ceiling.

"Great." Angel muttered, stepping over a fallen pilar and into Wesley's office. He stepped behind his table and grabbed all the books that were scattered all over it and in the bookcase. Angel took as many as he could and loaded them into his arms.

"Planning on going somewhere with those?"

Angel froze and groaned. He turned around to see Hamilton standing in the doorframe, his face bloody, but very much alive. "God, don't you people stay dead?" Angel said as he continued to pick up books from the desk. "No Angel, that's what comes with being immortal. But you'd know all about that, wouldn't you?" Hamilton replied, still standing in the doorway. "Yeah, but at least if you jabbed me with a stake I'd be dust." Angel said, turning around to face him.

Hamilton chose to ignore that comment as he stepped into the room, straightening out his suit. "So you killed the black thorn. Good method, I must say. Yet, I don't see the world ending. It's a bit disappointing isn't it?"

Angel stared at him, "Either tell me what you know, or get out of my way. I've had enough of you screwing me around."

Hamilton shrugged, "My, we are testy tonight aren't we? Maybe it's because after everything, you still lost." He said, looking smug.

"Lost? I didn't die, so in my opinion, that's winning." Angel replied. "To each his own. Anyway, I'm here to make sure you don't leave this building alive, so we best get onto it." Hamilton replied, pulling out a stake from his jacket. Angel placed the books in a pile on the desk. "Can we make it short, I'm kinda in a hurry." He said.

Hamilton nodded before advancing onto Angel, stake raised.

When Angel ducked and fled behind him, Angel threw his hands up in the air, "Are you trying at all?"

"I'm still a little stiff from when you killed me." Hamilton replied, swinging towards Angel's head and clocking him right on the jaw.

Angel shook his head and swung back, punching him in the stomach. Hamilton recoiled, then swung his leg around and knocked Angel to the floor. Angel bounced back up; punching Hamilton in the chest, while doing the same action Hamilton had just performed. When Hamilton was knocked to the ground, Angel stood above him. "This feels very familiar." He said, punching him in squarely in the jaw, knocking him out.

Not looking behind him, Angel grabbed the books off the table and walked out into the lobby, then out the main entrance.

Back at the Hyperion, Xander brought Dawn and him 2 cups of coffee and placed them on the table. Dawn had resorted to going on the Internet and researching there. It had a lot more information than what they had in the books.

Wesley continued to look through some texts, which he had found in his desk drawer. They probably weren't relevant but he had to do something to distract him otherwise he may just fire more nasty comments to Giles. Wesley didn't know what angered him more, the fact that he wouldn't help save his girlfriend, or that he thought he was evil. But what really got to him was Giles casual way of talking to him. Like nothing was wrong. But everything is wrong. The whole part of Fred not being here was wrong.

Wesley sighed, and rubbed his eyes. He looked at his watch; it was 4am. 9 hours ago, he had been prepared to die. Yet he was still here, looking at books.

Wesley heard a cough at the door and he looked up, it was Giles.

"Found anything?" Wesley asked, trying to stir up conversation about the topic at hand. Giles shook his head and sat down in the chair opposite Wesley. "Dawn and Xander are now looking on the internet for anything that seems relevant."

"Ah." Wesley replied, looking back at the scrolls.

"Uh, Wesley…" Giles began, looking down at his lap. "Don't. Don't say you're sorry." Wesley replied softly. "You miss her, I understand…" Giles said. Wesley looked up, "You understand? You understand how it feels to watch the love of your life be ripped away from you and then see her form everyday in the body of a demon. Oh, I'm sure you understand how I feel." He replied, his voice low.

Giles looked at him, "I didn't know."

"You didn't want to know." Wesley replied, reverting his eyes back to the scrolls. "What was I supposed to think? You joined Wolfram and Hart." Giles said. "That makes no difference. A innocent person died because of your little grudge against Angel." Wesley replied. "Well, for the record, I am sorry. Even if you don't accept my apology, that's fine, but don't tell me the reason I didn't help you was because of Angel. We don't work for the same sides anymore." Giles stated, standing up.

"That's your opinion." Wesley replied, not looking up from his desk.

Giles stared at him, then walked out into the lobby.

"Xander, I got nothing." Dawn said, running her hands through her hair and yawning. "Yeah, me too. Not that I'm not glad that sleeping beauty here isn't bothering me." Xander replied, gesturing to a snoring Andrew next to him.

"I take it you two are having no luck either?" Giles asked them, sipping his tea and sitting opposite Dawn.

"Nope. What's Wesley got?" She replied. Giles shifted uncomfortably. "Were not really on speaking terms."

Xander shrugged and yawned when Buffy and Spike appeared through the door.

"Thank God you guys are here, I'm boring myself sitting around." Xander said to them, as Buffy put down her bag.

"Did you see any strange behaviour?" Giles asked them. "Just a couple of vampires. I swear you'd think no one knew the world almost ended." Buffy replied, sitting down. "Is Angel back?"

Dawn shook her head as Willow appeared from upstairs. "I just called the coven. It's strange. They get like major psychic signals when there is an apocalypse and now…its just vanished. They can't sense anything." She said, stopping next to Spike.

The door creaked open and Angel walked in, his arms full of books. "Your back." Buffy said, standing up and walking towards him. Angel dumped the books on the couch as Buffy looked at him closely. "You ok?" She asked, touching his face where he had a rather nasty cut. Angel winced as Spike was seen scowling in the corner. "I'll be fine. Hey, Wes?" He called out when Wesley appeared from the office, followed by Gunn who was cleaned up from the cuts he had received during the fight. "Guess who's not dead?"

"Hamilton?" Wesley asked, looking confused. Angel nodded and gestured to the books on the couch. "I grabbed as many as I could before Mr Immortal appeared and clobbered me. That was after he threw some aggravating quips at me. He knows what's going on, but I knocked him out before he staked me."

Wesley looked grateful as he walked over to his books and began looking through them.

"Well, I think that's our cue to leave." Buffy said, grabbing her bag next to the couch. Angel looked up at her, "You have to go?"

"I don't think we are doing much good here. I mean there's really no solid information to go on and nothing drastic has happened since the incident so I'm guessing its up to you guys. "Buffy replied. Angel nodded and Buffy hugged him, "Take care, ok?" She whispered in his ear.

Willow walked up to hug Wesley and Angel when Buffy walked over to Spike. They just stared at each other for a while before she spoke. "I still don't forgive you. Not yet. But I will. Just give me time." She said softly before hugging him tightly.

When they broke apart, they walked over to where everyone else stood. Xander shoved Andrew until he stirred at looked up at everyone in the room sleepily. "Its time to go, watcher junior." He said, pulling him up by the arm.

They group had reached the door when Buffy turned back around. She smiled at Angel as Giles opened the door. He was quite shocked to see Illyria standing there eyeing him. He opened the door wider and she stepped inside, her eyes still on him.

When they had exited the Hyperion, Illyria walked to where Wesley was standing. "Where have you been?" He asked her. "Out. This place contained more people than necessary. They all stared at me strangely. I wished to get away." She replied. "Fair enough."

"So," Angel began, "What do we do now?" Gunn collapsed onto the couch, "I don't know about you but if it's not too much trouble I'm gonna sleep for a week." Angel shrugged as Wesley gathered the books up and placed them on the counter, sitting on the chair. "Hamilton is clearly back in business." Wesley said, opening a book. "Clearly, so are we." Angel replied.

"We are going to have to be extra careful. Wolfram and Hart are probably still out for revenge. I think the first step we take is to…" Angel began when there was a flash of light and a girl appeared in the centre of the lobby.

The girl looked around the hotel, confused then looked at Wesley.

"Oh crap."

Yay! That episode is finished! I'm sorry if the ending of the Scooby gang leaving was a little silly but all I wanted to do was write the end! Hmm…who's the girl? Can she be trusted? Find out in the next episode…Out of Place.


End file.
